The Atomium: first and foremost, it's a totally crazy, fantastical, almost sci-fi building, which defies the imagination and lets your emotions run wild. Nine spheres, 5 of which you can go into and twenty tubes to wander through until you lose all your bearings, until you arrive at the unique panoramic view of the whole of the city of Brussels.

The Atomium: it's also a dream, a utopia, which took root in the mind of engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak.

This dream is itself the product of its era. In 1958, humanity aspired to a better future, characterised by harmony, progress and peace. And it was in Brussels, then the young capital of Europe in its infancy (the Treaty of Rome was signed in 1957), that nations came together to celebrate the dawn of tomorrow's world.

My greatest desire is that Brussels, which has now rightfully earned its status of an international city, starts to dare once again, to dream, to set the trend, just like it did during Expo58.

My second priority is to see Brussels host a new world fair soon.
These events are part of these interactions which are as extraordinary as they are necessary, which humanity so dearly needs to join forces in reflecting our shared future, strive to mend or create new relationships, based on exchanges and collaboration between nations.

"Dare to dream of a better future on a human scale": this is the Atomium's philosophy, one that I defend to this day, and which I urge you to share.